


Stalker

by thebosscamacho



Series: Warframe Origins [2]
Category: Warframe
Genre: Filling in Blanks, Gen, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 07:38:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10962693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebosscamacho/pseuds/thebosscamacho
Summary: The Stalker, hunter of the Tenno who will stop at nothing to avenge the Orokin. What circumstances would led anyone to create such a persona, or take up such a cause? What does such a life en-tale? This is my best guess.





	1. Origins

**Author's Note:**

> Hello AO3. I'm new around here, but i'm no stranger to writing fan fiction. You can find me on Fimfiction under the same name. However, my interest in mlp is waning, so it's time to expand my horizons, starting with one of my favorite games,  
> Warframe. On that note, the Stalker is one of my characters in game, so it was only natural my first Warframe fic was about him.

It is a true honor to serve the Orokin, no matter what task they give you. At least, that is what the guardian told himself anyway. It’s what got him his reputation for loyalty to the Orokin. They had assigned him and his platoon to guard an archimedian research facility. A lowly task, but they were low guardians. In any case, the guardian was surprised to have his patrol rounds interrupted when a voice ordered him to stop, and even more so when he saw who had called out to him, Executor Ballas. He approached the guardian, a look of disappointment on his face.

“Guardian,” he spoke in a condensing tone, “it has been said your loyalty to the Orokin is unwavering. Given this, we have an assignment that can only be handled by such an individual.”

“It would be an honor.” The guardian replied.

“You must prove yourself worthy of the task first. Come with me, and we shall see if you are the one to trust with it.” Ballas told him. “Do not worry about your commanding officer, he has been informed of the situation.”

The guardian followed Ballas to a small ship. “Is this your personal craft?” the guardian asked.

“Yes.” Ballas replied simply.

They got aboard and took a seat. “What can you tell me of this assignment?” the guardian asked.

“Are you familiar with the Tenno?” the Executor asked in reply.

“Yes, the children from the ill-fated Zariman 10-0 voyage. If rumor is to be believed, they weren’t supposed to be on the ship to begin with. Of course, everyone knows about project warframe.”

“Of course. The thing is, teenagers tend to be…rebellious, which could be a problem if action is not taken.”

Now the guardian was curious, just what was this task that regarded the Tenno? His thoughts were interrupted the ship’s cephalon.  
“We have arrived, Executor.”

“Thank you, Cephalon, come along guardian.” The guardian followed Ballas once again, this time to a small room with a gold chair in the middle, and a mirror at the left and a monitor in front of it. “Sit down and wait here.”

Ballas left the guardian and made his way to the room next door. A technician in front of the one-way mirror was already there.

“Are you sure this is the best one for this?” he asked Ballas.

“Of course, he is the best in his platoon. Besides, they won’t think much of a guardian such as him if we are found out. Still, it never hurts to have an insurance policy.”

The technician began typing on his computer. “He’s loyal enough for it to work, but I fear he might not be able to handle the transference process after the brainwash.”

“Nothing training won’t fix.” Ballas assured dismissively. “Get it ready for him.” Ballas left the room and returned to the guardian’s. “You trail has been prepared.”

“What must I do?” the guardian asked.

“A video will be played on the monitor. What you will see will test your loyalty to us. If you can remain steadfast, you will play an important role for the Orokin.”

“I’m ready.” The guardian said determined.

“Very well, begin the test.” Ballas called out. The video came on, but the guardian could barely comprehend what he was watching. Before he knew it, the screen turned off. He stared at it confused before Ballas spoke up. “What do think of the Orokin.”

The guardian turned to him. “It is a true honor to serve the Orokin, no matter what task they give you.”

Ballas smiled. “Congratulations, Guardian, you pass. Come with me.”

He led the guardian to an isolated room. Inside stood a warframe very much like that of the one called Excalibur, but it had a different helmet that bore a unique symbol, and was colored a dark smoke gray and black with red trim.

“Am I to use that for my assignment?” the guardian asked.

“Yes, in fact, it was made specifically for it. It has some of the abilities of other warframes, as well a wholly unique ability called Dispel. This makes any Tenno’s abilities useless.”

“What is it that you wish for me to do?” the guardian asked.

“Do you recall what I said about teenagers being rebellious?” The guardian nodded. “We fear that the Tenno might become rouge, and given the weapons at their disposal…”

“You’ll need someone to stop them.” The guardian finished.

“Exactly, we designed this warframe to be an anti-Tenno weapon, as it were. We’ve even created a matching set of weapons best suited for the job.”

The Executor pointed to said weapons hanging on a nearby rack. The guardian frowned at them. A bow, a set of throwing knifes and a scythe, all colored to match the warframe, and none of which he knew how to use.

Ballas put a hand on his shoulder. “Do not fear, Guardian. You will be trained in the ways of the Tenno.” He pointed to a chair like machine on the other side of the room. “That is a somatic link, the key to using transference, the secret to their success. The only way to stop the Tenno is use their weapons and abilities against them.”

The guardian sat down in the link. To his surprised, it closed up, engulfing him. What was even more surprising was that he could still see the room. He looked down at his hand, which was now smoky gray.

“Incredible, he’s taken to the transference process better than predicted.” He heard a voice say.

“Good,” Ballas said in response.

“He should practice more; we can’t risk him ending up like Silvana.”

“Guardian, it is time to begin your training.” Ballas told him. “The technicians will help you, should you need anything.” With that, Ballas left.

A technician took the weapons off the rack and handed them to the guardian, one by one.

“This bow is call Dread, the arrows of which can decapitate, and will be your calling card to Tenno who dare go rouge. These throwing knives are called Despair, with a mono-filament edge, they are sharp enough to penetrate a warframe. Finally, the scythe, Hate. With its cruel blade, you can go toe to toe with any Tenno in close quarters.”

“Who will train me to use these?” the guardian asked.

“You will be trained by the dax soldiers. They also train the Tenno, so you’ll be able to keep up them. Before you that, we have to teach how to use the warframe’s abilities.”

So from that day forward over the course of several months, the guardian would go on his patrol, then was relieved of his post to travel to the Orokin building where his warframe waited for him. He would link up and train to use the warframe under the technicians, and the weapons under dax soldiers. Not long afterward, the two kinds of training were combined, and the guardian was pitted against specters of the various warframes. He would have to defeat them with a combination of his warframe’s ability and the weapons he had mastered. He made fast progress, given his motivation. However, none of the Tenno tried anything. He was assured it would be best to be prepared if they did. Then one day, the guardian and his colleagues where called for a briefing.

“The war is over. The Sentients have been destroyed, and the Tenno will be celebrated at the terminus. We will be in attendance to represent the guardians under Orokin command.” The commanding officer told them.

This news didn’t sit well with the guardian. He had heard the story of the Beast of Bones, the mercenary Ordan Karris who planned to get close to the Orokin to kill them. Had the Tenno been planning something similar all along? He voiced his concerns when he arrived for training. Executor Ballas had come to check up on him, and listened to his worries.

“You make a fair point, Guardian.” Ballas gave him a key card. “This room has been kept secret from the Tenno. If what you say is true, you can come here and bring them under control.”

When he linked up to the warframe, he was told he was going to be tested. The guardian was led to a special training room.

“Show Executor Ballas that you are a worthy of the job he has given you.” One of the technicians said.

Specters of all known warframes popped up in front of him. The guardian unholstered Dread and opened fire. One by one the specters fell to a combination of his abilities and weapons. The last died to a slash of Hate.

“Very impressive, Guardian. You training is complete.” Ballas said over the intercom. “It is time for you to go home and prepare for the ceremony tomorrow.”

The guardian brought the warframe back to the room and disconnected from the somatic link. He left, still worried about the day to come.


	2. Fall of the Empire

The stadium at the terminus was filled with the chatter of the Orokin. Every seat was filled a member of the privileged elite, glad that the suffering was finally over. The guardian and his platoon took their place at the side of the aisle running down the middle of the stadium, leading to a stage.

The Council of Executors walked on to it, followed by the Seven, killing the noise. Executor Avantus stepped up to a podium in the middle of it.

“Orokin,” she began, “On this day, the Sentients have been destroyed, and our glorious empire has been rescued from the brink of collapse. Today we honor our saviors, the Tenno. Let them come forward.”

Music started to play, then two dax soldiers walked down the aisle followed by the Tenno, dax at their sides and two at the end. The crowd cheered as they made their way to the stage. When they did, the music stopped and the cheers died down.

“Let our saviors be adorned with syandanas worthy of their heroics.” One of the Seven ordered.

The warframes each had a silk syandana attached to their backs. No sooner had the last Tenno receive theirs did a different kind of music begin to play.

“Tenno, on this day, you have save the Orokin from disaster. We salute you.” Avantus proclaimed.

The guardian watched the Tenno as Naga drum beats played out. He knew there were supposed to be ten beats for the salute. But with each beat, the Tenno poised themselves, ready to draw weapons. That’s when he realized the drum weren’t coming from real Naga drums, but from the mandacord of an Octavia, one of the Tenno warframes. An Octavia’s music is used to coordinate attacks against the Sentient. If the Octavia was playing music now, then the Tenno was relying instruction for the other Tenno. He was right, they were going to attack! He tried to call out a warning, but terror had gripped his throat, and only a strangled whisper came out. At the ninth beat, he watched helplessly as the Tenno drew their weapons and opened fire. Orokin blood spilled everywhere and flooded the stadium.

The guardian turned and fled for his life. He didn’t stop until he was sure he was safe. When he had caught his breathe, he cursed himself for forgetting his training for forgetting he was a guardian. He reached into a pocket to of his dress uniform for a handkerchief to wipe the sweat of his brow, only to feel something else in it. He pulled it the keycard Executor Ballas had given him.

“The Tenno are going to pay dearly for this day.” The guardian said to himself. It wasn’t easy getting back to the building, he managed it in the end. The guardian wordlessly swiped the keycard and sat in the somatic link. When he was connected to the warframe, he picked up Dread, Despair and Hate.

“Operator, is it time?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“Who are you?”

“Didn’t they tell you? You have a ship to go after the Tenno.”

“No, they didn’t. Bring the landing craft to the nearest port.” The guardian ordered.

It was time to go hunting. He met the landing craft and got aboard.

“Welcome aboard, Operator.” The cephalon greeted.

“Take me to the nearest group of Tenno.” The guardian ordered. He soon arrived at the location. “Where are they, Cephalon?”

“I’ve marked their position on your map. Would you like me to rattle the Tenno a bit? I can make the lights flicker and lock down the room they are in.”

“Do it now.” The guardian ordered. He watched a security camera feed his cephalon broadcast to him.

“What’s happening with the lights?” one using a Nyx Prime asked. “There is goes again.”

“Must be faulty wiring, you know the Grineer. Dumb as can be.” Another Tenno replied.

The guardian allowed the lights to flicker a third time before he announced his presence.

“I know your every move, Tenno.”

“Who said that!?” The first Tenno asked.

“The blood of the Orokin is on your hands. Did you really think there wouldn’t be any repercussions?”

“Show yourself, whoever you are!” The Tenno cried out.

“I am your reckoning!” The guardian appeared before the Tenno as the room locked down, much to their confusion.

“Wait, he looks like…” the second Tenno didn’t finish his sentence when the guardian attacked.

The Tenno went on the defensive. One of them, a Trinity, cast her blessing.

“Your TENNO powers are useless!” the guardian rose into the air and cast dispel, disabling the blessing’s effect, much to the Tenno’s shock. They fought as hard as they could, but the guardian had been trained to well, soon he had cut down the warframes, hacking them to pieces. "Justice is served. The Tenno have been executed." With that, the guardian left.

He didn't know that the Nyx Prime Tenno, a lad named Azarak, had recorded the confrontation and sent the video all across the Tenno network before his warframe had been destroyed.

* * *

 

Natah considered the situation. On one hand, she was one step away from finishing her mission. On the other, the Void had made her barren, and working with the Zariman children made her realize that she wanted to be a mother. They had come to see her as the mother they all needed after Margulis was executed.

“Lotus.” A voice interrupted her.

Natah turned the direction it came. A Saryn Prime stood in the doorway.

“What is it Bossina?” Natah asked.

“Something has been attacking the Tenno, cutting down our warframes. I just received video footage of what, or rather who it was.”

Bossina stepped forward, opened her communications inbox, and played the video. Natah was surprised with the Tenno’s attacker, it looked like a warframe, but used an ability she had never seen before. “Your TENNO powers are useless!” he declared is a hissy voice. She looked up at the warframe.

“What is known about this individual?”

“Everything we know about him comes from this video. We have come to call him, the Stalker”

Just then, the lights flickered. Natah looked behind the warframe.

“Boss, he’s behind you!” she cried in shock.

Bossina turned around only to get throwing knifes stuck into the Saryn Prime’s torso. A blow from Hate, and the warframe collapsed, breeding out.  
The guardian stepped towards Natah. “They call me the Stalker, do they? Very well, I shall go by that name.” he said in his new whispery voice. The terror from the collapse had permanently damaged his voice. “I want to know why you let them collapse the empire.”

“What will you do if I tell you?” Natah asked.

“Get revenge, but I’d take it even if you don’t tell me.” the Stalker replied. He raised Hate, only to get a burst of bullets to the back.

“Run Lotus.” the Tenno yelled.

The Stalker staggered forward as Natah ran away. He recovered and turned to face the Tenno.

“Do you know how many Tenno I've killed by now?” he asked.

“None.” The Tenno replied. “We don’t actually wear the warframes.”

“But what is a Tenno without their warframe? You all will sleep until you die.”

The Stalker charged at the Tenno, but she dodged. As they fought, the Stalker gained the upper hand. However, just as he came around to the front to finish the Tenno off, something unexpected happened. A body rose from within the frame. Before he could get a good look, he was struck by a powerful beam. When the beam receded, the Stalker felt weak. He looked up to see the Tenno running away.

“Come back!” the Stalker roared angrily. He wanted to disconnect, but couldn’t allow this Tenno to leave. He had already spent 6 days straight destroying warframes, and couldn’t let one slip through his fingers now. He ran after the Saryn Prime. She was a distance away, but not unreachable. He pulled out Dread and loaded an arrow. “Die Tenno.” He cried, and fired, following it up a barrage of shots.

The arrows sailed through the air struck the warframe in the back. It fell and started to bleed out. The Stalker ran up to it hacked with Hate. When the frame was in pieces, he calmed down.

“The area is secure, Operator." the cephalon told him.

“I can take a break now.” He thought to himself. He tried to disconnect, but couldn’t. Stalker wondered why this was, until he remembered one of the concerns voiced was him ending up like Silvana. He made his way to the closest computer and searched for Silvana, whom he learned was an archimedian. After some reading, he found something quite disturbing.

_The investigation that followed revealed that Silvana had been experimenting with transference on herself. Apparently, her conciseness was transferred to a grove on Earth due to using the transference process for too long._

“NO! No, it can’t be!” the Stalker cried out loud. He raced back to the room and stepped in front of the somatic link. It opened to reveal his body, now a limp corpse. The Stalker started to laugh at the sight. His laughing grew harder as the world faded to black, his mind retreating from the world and into insanity.

He awoke several days later, the whole episode forgotten. All he knew was that he needed to kill the Tenno, to avenge the Orokin. The Stalker picked himself up and made his way to his ship.


	3. A Favor for Darvo

A cluster of ships had gathered around one of the newly constructed Tenno relays. The Stalker was surprised to learn that the Lotus had put the Tenno in cryostasis. Now they were awaking, he can finish his work. He had heard of a Corpus defector Darvo, who had helped a Tenno who was nearly captured by Captain Vor. This Darvo character had hacked into his ship’s computer and stole copies to his weapon’s blueprints. He intended to confront Darvo about this matter.

But the Stalker knew he couldn’t show up as he was. When the first Tenno awoke, he found that they remembered him, and news of him soon spread. Thankfully, his suit could be altered. The Stalker disguised himself as a regular Excalibur and made his way to Darvo’s shop. When he got there, what he saw made his stop.

His weapons and one of the color palates he used where sold at 25% off. This could not stand, Tenno will be running around using his loadout against him, and probably making a mockery of his warframe at the same time. He left the relay and returned to his ship.

You will pay for selling my gear at such a price!

The Stalker sent the message and prepared to hunt Darvo. Sometime into his hunt, his ship’s cephalon spoke up.

“Operator, I am received a transmission from a Corpus ship. I think it’s Darvo.”

“Take me there, NOW!” the Stalker ordered.

He arrived at the ship and got aboard. Looks like Darvo decided to man up and face him. He searched the ship a bit before his ship’s cephalon contacted him.

“Operator, I’m getting another transmission. Darvo want you to meet him at another location.”

“Mark it on my map.” the Stalker replied.

The Stalker made his way to the location and he made his appearance, but he wasn’t met by Darvo. Instead, a squad of four Tenno stood before him.

“It’s the Stalker!” one wearing a Rhino warframe exclaimed. He noted that the voice sounded familiar.

Regardless, the Tenno attacked him. As much as he was equipped to take on Tenno, the Stalker was outnumbered and out gunned. Soon, he had to admit defeat and fled.

“I’ll give credit to Darvo though, that was a clever ruse.” Stalker thought to himself when he had returned to his ship.


	4. The Second Dream

This Tenno in particular had been a thorn in his side for too long. It was about time to deal with him. The Tenno was wearing a Loki warframe. Good, this would be a challenge. It’s no fun when it’s easy. The Stalker made his presence known. The Tenno put up more of a fight than he expected, the Stalker found himself on the ropes.

An unknown voice interrupted the fray. “You have become weak, Shadow. I can make you strong again.”

The Stalker felt a sudden surge of power. The Tenno looked surprised, the Stalker rushed him and struck him with Hate. The Loki hunched over, and the Stalker slashed the warframe repeatedly until the Loki fell on its back and began to bleed out. Usually, he would leave at this point, but something had been bothering recently. He had been cutting down the Tenno for a while now, but no matter how times he does it, said Tenno always come back.

“I know your pain, Shadow. There is only one solution.” The voice said again. The Stalker raised Hate and chopped the head of the Loki off. “Yes,” the voice said satisfied, “you will be perfect. I can do much more for you Shadow, but it will come at a price.”

The Stalker looked down at himself to see what had changed. He had gained the body of an Excalibur Umbra warframe, albeit slightly modified.

“What cost?” he asked.

“Your weapons. Join me, and I can give you something better.”

The Stalker considered. His load-out was specifically designed to counter Tenno. But whoever this was seemed to be able to make his job easier for him, maybe even end his suffering and the Tenno. It had start to seem like an impossible task.

“Very well.” The Stalker laid his weapons down and picked up the Loki head.

“Step through the portal” the voice said as a hole opened in a nearby wall.

He stepped through. In front of him was a set of stairs that led to a platform with a sword stuck in a stone. The platform was surrounded by Sentients. This made the Stalker uneasy, but he climbed the stairs anyway.

“Who destroyed the Orokin? Your way of life? Who do you hunt Shadow, to cleanse your despair in their blood?” The voice asked.

The Stalker raised the Loki head. “Tenno.” He replied, dropping it to the ground.

“Sever their heads yet they rise again. Someone has hidden the Tenno essence, their truth, from you.”

“Lotus.” The Stalker replied. Of course, the Tenno did whatever their precious mother asked of them without question.  
The sword began to raise into the air, as did the Stalker, armor suddenly added to his suit. The sword, War, came closer to him.

“I know where she hides the Tenno heart. A womb in the sky, forbidden to my kind, but where you will take me.”

The Stalker grabbed War when it was close enough. “Who?” he finally asked.

“I am Hunhow, Sentient destroyer of worlds. By your hand, expose their heart. By my edge... Cleave it beating from its nest.”

The Stalker return to his ship. His ship’s cephalon greeted him.

“Welcome back, Operator. I received coordinates from an unknown source while you were gone.”

“Set course for them.” He ordered.

“Very well. You were also emailed some blueprints; they are in the foundry now.”

The Stalker walked over to it. One was for War the other for something called a void key. He built a few void keys and waited for the ship to get to its destination. Soon, he arrived at Neptune.

“The location is marked on your map, Shadow.” the Stalker made his way to what Hunhow called a void gate. “Use a key to access the sky.”

The Stalker inserted the key in its slot and watched as they gate opened. He hesitated for a moment before going through.

“This is an Orokin tower interior.” The Stalker said confused.

“Indeed, Shadow, you are inside of one. The Orokin figured out how to master the Void. Fitting that Natah would hide the Tenno in the place they were created. I’ll show you where she hid them.”

Hunhow marked a location on the Stalker’s map. He ran to it, a room with a large window. What he saw outside made his gasp.

“Is that Earth’s moon?”

“Yes, Shadow. Somewhere on it, the Reservoir is hidden. I’ll have the exact location soon, get ready to leave.”

The Stalker called his ship. “Cephalon, mark the nearest dock on my map and met me there.”

“At once Operator.” The cephalon replied. “Uh Operator, where are you?”

“The tower masks the moon’s location. I’ll make you visible to the cephalon.” Hunhow said.

“I see you now, Operator. I’m coming for you now.”

Hunhow spoke up again. “And the Reservoir with it, very clever Natah. Shadow, your path is clear.”

The Stalker soon met his ship and headed for the moon.

Stalker soon landed and made his way to the void control room. “Collapse the Void, Shadow, so that my Fragments may attack. The Tenno hearts will beat their last.”

The Stalker began the sequence. “It is done.”

“The Moon will soon be crushed by the weight of the Void. The sky will be as it should be.”

“At last, justice for the Orokin.”

“Not yet, Shadow. The Tenno are trying to pull the moon out of the void. You must stop them, here is the location.”  
The Stalker made his way to the location. A Tenno with a blue and white Rhino warframe opened fire as soon he entered.

“You can’t stop me, Stalker.” A familiar feminine voice cried out.

Despite his best efforts, the Tenno managed to power all the void compasses. Since the moon was going to fall out of the Void, the Stalker decided to flee. He could attack the Tenno weakness when the moon was in Earth’s orbit again.

The Stalker watched as the moon appeared out of nowhere and took its rightful place in Earth’s orbit. He spotted a landing craft heading for it, and jumped into his own.  
“Shadow, bleed the Reservoir until it is desert dry.” Hunhow ordered.

The Stalker followed the Tenno to the Reservoir. He was surprised when golden pods rose from beneath the water. They separated and the middle one came forward and opened up. A chair come out of the pod, and child sized body in a blue and white suit matching the warframe slid off. At this, the Rhino collapsed.

“So the Tenno where children remotely controlling the warframes?” the Stalker asked himself.

He watched as the Tenno crawled to the warframe, and made it pick her up. He stepped forward and unholstered War, pointing it at the Tenno. But this only brought forth an idea he couldn’t ignore. The warframe, it was very much like his own armor. The Stalker lowered War and turned away.

“You hesitate Shadow, but remember your despair. This is your only chance to make it end.” Hunhow said aloud.

The Stalker looked at his hand. “Am I…one of them?” he asked himself.

“Your hatred is too weak, Shadow. Mine is strong, my fragments will finish this.” Hunhow said disappointed as the Stalker holstered War. He didn’t care and returned to his ship. While he pondered, he heard Hunhow in his mind.

“We made a deal, Shadow. You will see your end through. Or would you rather not avenge the Orokin?” Hunhow’s words pierced Stalkers mind. He had to do this, even if they were children, the Orokin had to be avenged. “I knew you’d see reason in the end.” Hunhow said satisfied. He teleported the Stalker to the Tenno’s Orbiter.

The Stalker once again fought the Tenno, trying to prevent her from getting to the somatic link. Finally, he managed to knock the Tenno over. She tried to get back to the Rhino, but he prevented her. He turned his attention to the warframe, poking it with War.

“No self, no sense, no death. Just a metal puppet, dangling on Tenno strings. Only the Tenno's death will end your despair.” Hunhow said as the Stalker impaled the warframe with War.

“All you dread-long life, you've waited for this moment... ...but you're asking yourself... Was I one of these wretched things?” the Stalker grabbed the girl by her throat “...you know the answer. You still hate them... you still hate... yourself.” He began to strangle her.

Unknown to anyone, the Rhino began to act of its own accord, tugging at War’s hilt. Hunhow was caught off guard.

“What is this?” he asked as the Stalker dropped the Tenno and walked over. The Rhino cracked the sword and the Stalker rose into the air.

“Shadow! Protect... me...” Hunhow cried out as the Rhino broke the War.

The Stalker could fell energy build up inside of him, without warning, it exploded with blinding light.

Hours later, he awoke in his ship. After a moment, he remembered everything. How he came in possession of the warframe, about what he learned about the Tenno children, about using transference for too long and becoming the warframe. But he now knew something he didn’t before. The Tenno didn’t kill the Orokin out of cold blood, they were manipulated by the Lotus, who was actually a sentient named Natah. That didn’t excuse the fact that they committed genocide, but they didn’t deserve to be destroyed. They needed to be punished.

The Stalker walked over to his foundry and found that he couldn’t build another Dread, Despair or Hate. Darvo must have done something when he hacked his ship’s computer. He could build another War though. He didn’t mind, the War was a better weapon than Hate, and he could use exalted blade for range attacks. The armor Hunhow added, had cost him some of his warframe’s abilities, but he could adapt to damage.

"Watch out, Tenno. The Stalker is back and better than ever." he said to himself.


	5. Acolytes

Something unexpected happened in the month that followed. People were contacting him to join his cause. Even more surprising was they were willing to do whatever it takes, even go through what he had. What didn’t surprise him was that were Corpus and Grineer, three from each faction. He arranged to meet them at one of the abandoned Orokin relays. There to greet him were two Grineer scorpions and a lancer, and three Corpus crewmen, all of whom had seen him take on Tenno and told him as much.

“You all want to learn under me. I suspect your hatred of the Tenno have driven you to this point.” The six agreed. “Very well, but you must prove yourselves worthy.”

“How?” one of the scorpions asked.

“You must become one with a warframe.” The Stalker replied. “Then you will be able to fight the Tenno. But to do that, you much acquire said waframe.”

The six agreed to the Stalker’s term and to meet back there once it was done.

While the Stalker waited, he soon learned that the Tenno where now calling him the Shadow Stalker. Like before, he embraced it, but was still called the Stalker for short. Soon, he had been messaged again. The six where ready.

He met them at the same relay. “I’m impressed. However, now you must become one with them.”

The Stalker took them aboard his ship, and each took a turn in the somatic link. Within the week, all six had become their chosen warframes, each given a helmet and color scheme similar to his, as well as some personal touches. The Stalker stood before the six.

“Today, I am proud to call you my acolytes. Before I began teaching you, you must choose a new name for yourselves.”

“Angst” one of the scorpions declared. She had chosen a Valkyr warframe.

“Malice” Said one of the Crewmen. He had chosen a Frost.

“Mania” Replied another crewman. He had a Loki warframe.

“Misery” Declared the lancer, standing tall as a Nekros.

“Torment” The other scorpion said proudly. She had a Mesa.

“Violence” replied the last crewman, taken the form of a Limbo.

“Very well, any questions before we begin?” the Stalker asked.

“Master, what is thy will?” Misery asked.

The Stalker replied almost instantly. “Punishment. And I know who gets theirs first. A Corpus named Alad V.”

“How should we do it, master?” Angst asked.

“Everywhere he goes, you will follow. He will bring Tenno with him. You will have to deal with them to get to him.”

“Sound like a long and elaborate operation.” Mania put in.

The Stalker laughed a strangled laugh, his first in many years. “That’s a good way to put it. We shall call it, Operation Shadow Debt.”


End file.
